


Staying Afloat

by keysburg



Series: Agent Carter S2 [4]
Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene, Spies & Secret Agents, Unbeta'd, chief sousa gives me life, i love spies, spoilers for episode s2ep4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 13:55:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5930830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keysburg/pseuds/keysburg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Missing scene from Smoke and Mirrors: between Vernon threatening Peggy and Sousa catching her on the stairs, Daniel deals with the "audit" and its ramifications for the Isodyne case.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Staying Afloat

Rose rang up from downstairs, but it was too late. It had been too late the moment he filed for the warrant, although he hadn’t known it. Vernon’s request to “show his agents around” meant Daniel hadn’t had a moment since they got there. A half dozen men asking him questions one after another, trying to catch him off guard, challenging his conclusions, summarizing cases wrong and waiting for him to correct them. Classic confusion techniques. It felt like the enemy had invaded his office, instead of men who should have been allies. They got him more riled up than he would have liked, but he managed not to take his crutch to anyone. He only thought about it for a moment. Even if he couldn’t be calm, he didn’t have to undermine himself. This was only a feint anyway. He ran a tight ship; there was nothing incriminating for Masters’ to use against him.

Even auditing War Department goons had to eat eventually, and towards suppertime they started to move out. They took the Isodyne case files and a smattering of others. All Daniel could do there was make them sign for the files, establishing a paper record of their raid on his office. Proof, in case they tried to deny it later. He actually wasn’t too worried about the files; he was pretty sure he and Peggy could re-write them from memory. The lab samples were another matter entirely, particularly since Jane Scott’s body had already been disappeared. If the lab samples walked out the door with Masters’ goons, they’d be gone forever. Now he was alone and had a moment to do something about that.

He expected the lab to be empty, the samples packed up and waiting for the last flunky to pick them up on his way out for the evening. Daniel slipped into the door of the lab… and came face to face with Dr. Samberly.

“Good evening, Dr. Samberly. On your way out?” _Please, please be heading out,_ Daniel thought. _It’s suppertime. You must be hungry. I’m starving._

“Mr. Masters told me I was to wait until his man came for this box, Chief Sousa,” Samberly grumbled. “I was hoping you were him.” 

“Probably my fault, since I insisted they follow protocol. It’s getting late though, and you shouldn’t have to pay for that. I can wait for him, if you like,” Daniel offered. Samberly had started to shake his head before he even finished his sentence.

“It was made quite clear that I had to be here to sign it over. ‘Dependability is all too rare these days,’ he said. ‘Dependability is crucial to people who wish to be considered trustworthy.’”

“For a War Department joe, Masters sure does talk around what he wants, doesn’t he? Tries to convince you it’s your idea to comply?” 

“But you’re not like that, are you, Chief?” Sarcasm dripped from Samberly’s every word. “I’m sure you’re just going to tell me what you’re after instead.” 

Daniel made a mental note to ask more personality questions the next time he was hiring on staff. He had wanted to hire based on the best skills, and hadn’t given much thought to employee temperament. Dr. Samberly was a real smart guy, in more ways than one. Unfortunate, but for now there was only so much he could do.

“I need the sample from the Scott body, Doctor. There’s something real fishy going down and the sample may be the key to the Isodyne case. It won’t do anyone any good sitting in some locker, waiting for an audit.” 

“That’s a pretty big favor to ask, considering it’s my career on the line if we’re caught.” There was a pause, but Daniel knew what was coming. “I need something too, Chief Sousa.” Samberly smirked, clearly pleased with the leverage he possessed.

“Well, if it’s in my power, I’ll do as you ask.” He probably just wanted to switch offices or get a personal parking space, something to show he was appreciated. Except now suddenly Dr. Samberly looked a little… uncertain.

“You and Miss Roberts go way back, right? Worked together in New York?”

Oh God, Rose was going to kill him. Although...she certainly sassed _him_ pretty well. She might get along just fine with the not-so-good doctor. 

Or she’d eat Samberly alive. Either way, he wasn’t worried about her. Dr. Samberly was looking unsure of himself now, and the tables had turned. Daniel put on his best serious Chief face.

“Rose is like a sister to me,” he nearly growled. “We’ve been through thick and thin. I’ll speak to her, but if you’re ever less than respectful…” Unspoken threats hung in the air.

“Right, of course,” Samberly gulped, handing Daniel the sample from the box. “You had better go, sir, before they come for this.” 

Daniel slipped out of the lab, keeping an eye out for Masters or his goons. Now he just had to catch Peggy before she ducked out of the office. She probably had another scheme brewing, and planned to leave him out of it again. Master’s visit--his threats--would see to that. Confuse, accuse, now isolate. Sabotage tactics so effective, they even worked on spies who should know better. Daniel’d be damned before that happened in his office. Not while he was Chief.

**Author's Note:**

> I love Dr. Samberly! He and Rose just might be sassy soulmates. 
> 
> I've watched too much Burn Notice and I can't help but deconstruct spy tactics when I see them.


End file.
